The carbon-infused composite boat is certified CE Category A for ocean going and has demonstrated its capabilities offshore. The owner of the third hull sailed it solo to win the OSTAR, then circled Africa the wrong way alone.
Design and Construction
Pegasus Yachts builds the 50 with a vacuum-infused hybrid carbon-and-glass layup. The material choices are deliberate: the deck, inner structure, and structural stiffeners are all carbon fibre, while the outer skin is glass, which the yard considers less vulnerable and easier to repair. Hulls are laminated in Italy, then fitted out in Slovenia.
Carbon appears throughout the boat to save weight and improve performance, from the hardtop to the 40 kg gimballing settee. The tandem keel with twin centreline fins connected by a bulb was developed with America’s Cup designer Giorgio Provinciali. Paš calculates that it provides better directional stability and less wetted surface while maintaining a low centre of gravity. He also found that it reduces leeway and improves performance for its weight. Twin rudders and twin helms help the boat retain grip when heeled.
Rig and Handling
The carbon mast sits as far aft as practical. Its shortened boom reduces the load on the integrated mainsheet arch and keeps weight low. The sailplan is optimized for 10–20 knots.
Standard sails include a full-batten main and a 104% J1 headsail, with an outer sheeting point for reaching, plus a self-tacking J2 jib. Electric winches are positioned within easy reach of the helms.
Writing in SAIL, a tester found that the helm feel had the perfect amount of feedback during a test off France in fall 2024. Gusts of 38 knots didn’t harm the boat’s seakindliness, and it reached 12 knots in a sustained 23 knots true with one reef and the self-tacker. Another reviewer averaged 6 knots in 8–8.5 knots of wind and 8.5–9 knots in 12–13 knots.
Cockpit and Accommodation
This is where the Pegasus breaks most clearly with convention. There are no aft cabins. Instead, all accommodation lies forward of the saloon, arranged as two or three cabins with 6–8 berths.
A sliding door connects the cockpit and interior. From the cockpit, two steps lead down to a narrow U-shaped galley with a tall island that provides support for stable cooking. The saloon table and U-shaped settee form a single gimballed component that can pivot by up to 10 degrees. The 40 kg carbon settee cants electrically to reduce fatigue.
Farther forward, a full-width helm station has a panoramic tempered-glass windshield and offers a powerboat-like view. In the two-cabin version, the full-beam master includes a large shower. In the three-cabin version, the master beds run on tracks, allowing them to join as a double or separate into twins.
The forward cabins are tighter than is typical for a 50-footer, with headroom of around 6 ft 1 in. The forward passageway is also low and its doorways are narrow, though the area benefits from large lockers.
Equipment and Energy
The standard specification is unusually complete for the class. The base price includes a Volvo D2-75 saildrive, generator, lithium batteries, watermaker, air conditioning, washing machine, solar, B&G instruments, Hydranet sails, electric winches, a dinghy with Torqeedo outboard, and a large allowance for typical options.
A fixed 600 W hydrogenerator, positioned off the keel, puts 7 A+ at 24 V into the battery bank when the boat is sailing at more than 7 knots. An electric-hybrid version with twin Oceanvolt 15 kW drives is also offered.
The hardtop carries 716 W of coachroof solar and incorporates a retractable moonroof. A solid-bimini option adds more panels and Starlink.
Technical Access and Offshore Details
Two technical rooms sit below the cockpit, with the engine and generator between them. Plumbing is housed to port and electronics to starboard, keeping the two systems safely separated. Large access panels and a hinged cockpit table provide almost unhindered access to the engine.
The garage can hold a 2.5 m inflatable and is separated from the technical lockers by a watertight bulkhead. The offset companionway door has a safety lock for use when the boat is heeling.
The Verdict
The Pegasus 50 is a genuinely unconventional 50-foot cruiser. It trades aft-cabin space for a protected, sociable cockpit and a short-handed rig that has proved itself in solo ocean racing. Its carbon-heavy construction, low centre of gravity, and tandem keel provide directional stability and easy motion. Meanwhile, the extensive standard-equipment list avoids the usual treadmill of post-purchase upgrades.
The compromises are equally clear. The forward cabins are tighter than the boat’s beam might suggest, and the layout won’t suit buyers who want private aft staterooms.
Pros
- Complete bluewater standard specification, including generator, watermaker, lithium batteries, and solar
- Tandem keel with proven directional stability and low wetted surface
- Short-handed rig with electric winches and a self-tacking staysail
- Gimballing settee and protected, deep cockpit for offshore comfort
Cons
- No aft cabins; all berths are forward and tighter than typical 50-foot norms
- Low, narrow forward passageway with limited headroom
- Published specification data remains preliminary until confirmed in writing
